Hi Roman_Egypt,
Having looked at the
NumisWiki entry (
Byzantine Denominations) I see why you asked the question: that page is quite hard to understand and requires some expansion. (I’m not sure I have time to do that at the moment. Any volunteers?)
Your question actually deserves quite a lengthy answer.
Byzantine coinage spans almost 1000 years from the reign of
Anastasius I to the
Ottoman conquest. It’s hardly surprising that there are many
denominations and that they change over time. The early period is a
bit complex, because different mints struck coins to different standards. The last (Palaeologan) period also has its difficulties, because no one is really sure about the relationship between the different
denominations.
At the start of the
Byzantine period – usually taken to be the currency reform inaugurated by
Anastasius I in 498 CE – the basic gold coin is the
solidus (Latin) =
nomisma (Greek) which
had existed since the time of
Constantine I. The
solidus had a nominal
weight of 4.5g (= 4 scripula = 24 carats = 1/72 of a
Roman pound) In fact, the
weight and
fineness remain surprisingly stable from the 6th century until debasement sets in in the 11th century, though in the sixth and seventh centuries some light-weight solidi of 20, 22 or 23 carats were issued, normally with a different signature in
exergue to distinguish them from full-weight coins. Because of the stability of the
solidus, it became widely used internationally; in
medieval English this coin became known as the bezant.
Fractions of the
solidus were also struck: the
semissis = ½
solidus and the
tremissis = 1/3
solidus. We also (but rarely) encounter multiples of the
solidus, though these are always commemorative ceremonial issues, closer to medallions than coins for general circulation.
Early
Byzantine silver coins are
rare in the East and were also used mainly for ceremonial issues. The largest
denomination is called the
miliarense, but there are two
weight standards, heavy (5.4g = 1/60 pound)) and light (4.5g = 1/72 pound). The
siliqua = ½
miliarense. In sixth century
Italy and
North Africa, there was more extensive use of silver with some
denominations based on those previously issued by the
Vandals and Ostrogoths, which were multiples of the copper coinage. So in
Italy, for example, you find silver 250-nummi and 125-nummi pieces as well as the
siliqua and fractions thereof.
Anastasius I completely reformed the copper coinage in 498. The tiny, badly struck
nummus coins which characterised the earlier 5th century were replaced by large and clearly marked multiples of the
nummus. Greek, as
NumisWiki helpfully indicates, uses letters to represent numbers, A = 1, B = 2, Γ = 3, Δ = 4, E (ε) = 5, ζ (S) = 6, … I = 10, K = 20, Λ = 30, M =40, etc. The largest
denomination was the
follis = 40 nummi and it was marked with an M. The original
weight standard of the
follis (it changed over time) was 18 to the pound, and since a
solidus was theoretically worth 20 pounds of copper, you can
work out that 1
solidus = 360 folles.
The smaller
denominations are fractional folles, normally the
half-follis (K), the
decanummium (I) and the
pentanummium (ε). In the
West, the same
denominations were issued, but marked with
Roman numerals instead of Greek letters:
follis (
XXXX),
half-follis (XX),
decanummium (X) and
pentanummium (V). And under the emperor Phocas, even the Eastern mints generally used
Roman numerals as denominational marks. During
his reign a three-quarter
follis (
XXX) was also struck.
But, just to complicate matters, there were a couple of mints which ‘did their own thing’, presumably because that was what local merchants were used to. The
standard type struck at the
mint in
Alexandria was the 12-nummi piece (marked I+B); there were also fractions – 6-nummi (S) and 3-nummi (Γ) – and also a 33-nummi coin (ΛΓ).
Thessalonica under
Justinian I used yet another different
standard, and you find a series of 16-nummi issues, marked on the
reverse AISP or similar. The two middle letters IS stand for the number 16. There are also fractions: 8-nummi (AHP) and 4-nummi (AΔP). There are various theories about what the surrounding AP letters might mean.
And there was a minor
mint at
Cherson in the Crimea, producing coins apparently for local circulation, which didn’t follow the denominational marking system. But judging by size and
weight, the
Cherson issues were probably pentanummia.
That covers the start of the
Byzantine era, where many collectors begin. And I’ve waffled enough, so I’ll stop. But if you want to know about a particular later period, just ask – but please be specific.
Bill R.
